Heavy metal fans, brace yourselves, Iron Maiden is storming back to North America in 2026 with an electrifying new chapter of their Run For Your Lives World Tour. The British metal icons will launch the U.S. and Canada leg on August 29, 2026, at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, igniting a month-long journey through major cities including Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago, before culminating at Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville.

Joining Maiden on this titanic trek are two other pillars of metal — Megadeth, appearing on all dates, and Anthrax, who will join select larger shows. The lineup alone is enough to send shockwaves through the global metal community, marking one of the most monumental tour collaborations in recent memory.

A Historic Metal Collaboration

Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris expressed his excitement about the return to North America and the powerhouse lineup:

“We are greatly looking forward to bringing this Run For Your Lives World Tour to North America and hope the fans enjoy seeing the show and hearing the set list as much as we do playing it.”

Harris highlighted the special camaraderie among the bands, noting that this will be Megadeth’s final tour, and recalling past tours shared with Anthrax during 2016’s Ed Force One era.

A Setlist for the Ages

Frontman Bruce Dickinson, fresh from his acclaimed solo project The Mandrake Project, teased an explosive setlist brimming with classics from the band’s early years. Fans can expect legendary anthems like “Run to the Hills,” “The Trooper,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” and “The Number of the Beast.” Dickinson also hinted at deeper cuts, including “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son,” some of which haven’t been performed in the U.S. for over twenty years.

“This whole tour has been such great fun,” Dickinson said. “It’s like our 50th birthday party — loud, sweaty, and full of songs that made us who we are.”

Passing the Torch: A New Era for Iron Maiden

The Run For Your Lives tour also signals a notable lineup change. Longtime drummer Nicko McBrain, who has been with the band since 1982, is stepping back from intensive touring. Taking his place behind the kit is Simon Dawson, whose debut will mark the start of a new era for Maiden’s unmistakable sound. McBrain described Dawson as “the perfect fit — full of fire, heart, and respect for the legacy.”

The tour comes on the heels of Iron Maiden’s The Future Past Tour, which wrapped in São Paulo, Brazil, last December. That tour, celebrating both Senjutsu and Somewhere in Time, sold out stadiums across Europe and South America, reaffirming Maiden’s enduring dominance in the live music landscape.

An Unmissable Celebration of Metal’s Legacy

Between Iron Maiden’s historic catalog, Megadeth’s farewell performances, and Anthrax’s explosive energy, Run For Your Lives 2026 promises to be a once-in-a-generation experience for metal fans. Tickets are expected to sell out rapidly when they go on sale via Live Nation later this fall.

For those who’ve followed Maiden from Killers to Senjutsu, or newcomers discovering the legends for the first time, this tour isn’t just a concert. It’s a celebration of heavy metal itself.